Introduce yourself to craft brewing with one of these pint-sized swaps.

With more and more American bars offering an amazing bounty of beers, there has never been a better time or place to be a beer drinker. Whether you love super-hoppy India Pale Ales, lightly fruity Hefeweizens, or dark and soulful Stouts, American craft brewers are hard at work creating some of the world’s finest offerings. Such an abundance of choice, however, can be intimidating to the unschooled imbiber—making those old standbys seem appealing. If you’re new to craft beers, check on one of these micro-brewed favorites before asking the bartender for your usual pint.

If You Like: Guinness You Should Try: Old No. 38 Stout Brewer: North Coast Brewing Company From: Fort Bragg, CaliforniaWhy: Served through a nitrogen draft system, Guinness tends to be a soft, straightforward, accessible beer, but it's light on flavor. The Old No. 38 Stout, on the other hand, provides a smooth transition from the classic Dry Irish Stout to a more flavorful alternative. With its dark brown color and light reddish hues at the extremes, the pale cream head gives off notes that are lightly creamy with mild pale malts and a slight lactic tang. The flavor is slightly bitter from the dry roasted malts, and that fades into a hint of creaminess and finally into a dark roasted finish—all light and airy on the palate. At no point overwhelming, the Old No. 38 Stout is approachable, yet full-flavored.

If You Like: Blue Moon Belgian White You Should Try: Allagash White Brewer: Allagash From: Portland, Maine Why: An early entry in the pantheon of Belgian-influenced craft beers, the Allagash White helps define the Witbier style for many brewers in this country. Incredibly easy on the eyes, the White pours with a delightfully hazy golden blonde color and a substantial band of white foam. The aroma contains a pleasurable mixture of spices, including orange peel and coriander, with touches of lemon and a slight, biting yeast note. Refreshing from the start, the carbonation brings structure to the soft, spicy coriander and wheat elements, ending with a careful balance of sweeter malt.

If You Like: CoronaYou Should Try: Dortmunder Gold Brewer: Great Lakes From: Cleveland, OhioWhy: If you're willing to give up the lime, Dortmunder style beers are among the best alternatives to Corona. They offer the best of both worlds—a sweet, bready European malt flavor mixed with a pronounced mid-level bitterness. The pride of a particularly deep beer portfolio at the Great Lakes Brewing Company, the Dortmunder Gold is perhaps America's best version of the style and remains a classic beer for transitioning hesitant macro drinkers to the glories of craft beer. It pours a deep, golden color with amber flecks and a sizable, sustained off-white head. The clean aroma carries subtle hints of European malt with a touch of of wheat and toasted malt. The body carries light, fruity notes that quickly give way to a mildly toasted malt base and a clean, crisp finish.

If You Like: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale You Should Try: Two Hearted Ale Brewer: Bell's From: Kalamazoo, MichiganWhy: A step up from Sierra Nevada's flagship beer in terms of flavor and aroma, the Two Hearted Ale is a grand representative of the American Pale Ale category. If you could bottle the nose as a house air freshener or a perfume, hop heads would buy that by the crate. A dullish yellow tone with shades or orange making an appearance and a touch cloudy, Two Hearted boasts nothing but Centennial hop goodness, brimming with sticky and sweet cotton candy notes covering citrus beats. The resulting flavor has been described by some as oddly intoxicating, in a mystical sort of way, with more sweet cotton candy hops mixed with grapefruit and a teasing touch of sweet pale malt that creates a stunner of a beer.

If You Like: Budweiser or Bud Light You Should Try: Summer Beer Brewer: Harpoon From: Boston, Massachusetts.Why: Harpoon's popular summer seasonal beer offers a dull straw color and a waifish, off-white head. This Kölsch smells and tastes firmly of clean malt and a touch of grassy earth. The nose starts with a partially grainy blend of wheat and a floral and mildly spicy hop earthiness with a fleeting touch of lemon. While the taste is a touch hoppy at times, it never overpowers—especially considering the style. The flavor of untoasted grains blends with a hint of sweetness, but remains dry to its drawn-out and pleasantly zesty and bitter finish that will satisfy even the biggest fans of Bud.

If You Like: Samuel Adams Boston Lager You Should Try: St. Boisterous Goat's Breath Bock Ale Brewer: O'Fallon From: Saint Louis, MissouriWhy: Best served at a warm temperature, the Goat’s Breath Bock Ale is a highly nuanced and drinkable companion. The beer displays a rich, deep brown color with hints of auburn and orange at the edges and balances a well-formed off-tan head. Fresh baked bread and toasted malts fill the nose, followed by a hearty blend of dried fruits, including figs, a touch of nuttiness, and powdered chocolate. The flavor is as complex as the aroma, with molasses and bready sweetness balanced by a dry, fruity quality—all wrapped around light chocolate and caramel swaths.